


The Desperation Of A Once-Lucky Bug

by Lady_Lombax



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, I should stop night blogging, Identity Reveal, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Insensitive Mention of Suicide, Inspired By Tumblr, One French Swear Word, That Timebroken AU, Time Travel, Timebreaker AU, Yeah that AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-16 16:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5831971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Lombax/pseuds/Lady_Lombax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens to a Ladybug when she looses her Chat Noir?</p>
<p>She becomes a woman who will do anything to save him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <em>Inspired by <a href="http://introspectres.tumblr.com/">Introspectres'</a> <a href="http://introspectres.tumblr.com/tagged/timebroken-au">Timebroken AU</a>.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	The Desperation Of A Once-Lucky Bug

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who wrote an over 5k Timebreaker AU instead of working on her 10 chap Ladrien fic or her Marichat B-Day fic. 
> 
> (This was literally titled 'Oops' in my Word documents.)
> 
> As noted in the Tags, I do reference suicide in the fic. The character who refers to it is very insensitive when referring to the incident. The reference happens after 'The Timebreaker Massacre' is said.

_"Marinette, are you sure you want to do this?"_

_  
"I have spent the last seven years trying to find a way back and now I have. It's happening. End of discussion."_

_  
"But..."_

_  
"DAMN IT TIKKI! I AM NOT GIVING UP THIS CHANCE. HE IS WORTH IT! HE IS WORTH EVERYTHING I CAN GIVE!... They all are."_

_  
"...Ok. Plagg?"_

_  
"I'm ready."_

_  
"Tikki, Plagg, transform me!"_

_  
"MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!"_

_*****Seven Years Earlier***** _

 

Marinette and Adrien let out twin gasps of horror as Chloé dropped the glowing pocket watch, causing it to roll directly into the path of the race. There was no time to catch it. No time to retrieve it. No time at all.

  
It came to stop and Marinette cringed as Alix unknowingly zoomed closer.

  
In another world, Alix would have run over the watch, become the Akuma known as Timebreaker, lead Ladybug on a trip six minutes into the past causing two Ladybugs to appear at once and the situation to be resolved with a happy ending.

  
But this is not that world. In this world, something far more bittersweet occurred.

  
As Alix skated closer,

  
a zip of line,

  
a tangle of infinitely long wire,

  
and the skater fell, sliding several metres before coming to halt inches from her watch. Gasps and murmurs rippled through the young crowd as Kim skidded to a stop and knelt next to her.

  
"Hey! What the hell is this?!" Alix struggled against the wire around her legs for a moment before it loosened and zipped back from where it came. Kim helped the small pink haired girl to her feet.

  
A second later, a black and red figure dropped down in front of her in a three point landing. It snatched the watch up and stood, ignoring the dumbstruck teens and a single phone recording everything.

  
The figure was female with short messy dark hair. A black mask with red insect-like lenses covered her upper face and disappeared into her hairline, perked black cat ears peeking out from the inky strands. The lower part of her face was free of any cover but also carefully blank of all emotion.

  
Her costume was a strange hybrid of insect and cat. Her torso was cover in a red leather-like material with smudged black spots, nothing like the clean round ones of Ladybug's costume. It clung to her form closely at the front and stopped at the waist but the back continued to mid thigh, split in two and reminiscent of insect wings. Her arms and legs were covered in black leather, panelled like the exoskeleton of a beetle's limbs and her hands tipped with the same claw-like gloves of Chat Noir. She had bracers with the same red with black smudge-spots on her forearms. Her knee high boots were red with black toes while a silver baton and a spotted red yoyo clipped onto a thick black belt around her waist. She had the Chat Noir's trademark black ring with a glowing green paw on her right ring finger and Ladybug's trademark red with five black spots earrings in her ears.

  
It was if she had managed to bring together elements of Ladybug and Chat Noir's costumes as one but also created something completely new at the same time.

  
The woman turned to Alix and shoved the watch into Alix's chest who grasped at it quickly. A movement that should have been violent seemed oddly gentle.

  
"You should be a bit more careful with that." The words, at first, were cold and rebuking but there was an undertone of tenderness. She turned to the anxious crowd.

  
Most of them were tensed as if ready to flee at the slightest movement of violence. The woman noted how Marinette was tensed as if ready to fight.

_  
'Looks like that never changed.'_

  
She also noticed how Adrien was much in the same position, poised behind her in a subconscious effort back up his unaware partner.

_  
'In hindsight, it was so damn obvious.'_

  
Then her eyes fell on Chloé who was looking unrepentant from her actions but still slightly nervous at the intimidating woman. Smoothly and unthreateningly, the figure walked towards the blonde. The movement was steady and careful causing the teens to relax minutely. This allowed the woman to strike.

**_  
SLAP!_ **

  
The smack of flesh meeting leather rung through the tense silence causing the teens to flinch back.

  
Chloé slowly brought her head back around to face the woman, a single finger reaching up to prod at the reddened cheek.

  
"You...You... You slapped me! How dare you! Do you have any idea who... AHK!"

  
The woman's left hand shot out to wrap around the spoiled girl's throat and she snarled into the blonde's face. The anger radiating through the mystery woman prevented even Adrien and Marinette from trying to stop her as she ripped into Chloé.

  
"I KNOW IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR YOUR GOD DAMN BITCHINESS AND YOUR INABILITY TO KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF, I WOULDN'T HAVE SPENT THE LAST SEVEN YEARS TRYING TO UNDO THE DEATHS OF FIFTEEN PEOPLE INCLUDING YOU, MOST OF YOUR CLASSMATES AND CHAT NOIR!" A gasp rippled through the group of teens. It seemed to bring the woman out of her anger slightly though her hand stayed around Chloé's throat. "I know that if you hadn't snatched that watch out of Adrien's hand, Alix would never have become the Akuma known as Timebreaker who had the ability to erase a person's very existence in an attempt to travel back in time! I know that Timebreaker killed Chat Noir! It was due to his death that the balance between Ladybug and Chat Noir's powers was upset causing the Miraculous Healing to not work, leaving those who died dead! I know that Nino, Marinette, Juleka, Ivan and Alix were the only survivors of what would become known as 'The Timebreaker Massacre', though calling Alix a survivor is probably wrong since she blamed herself to the point, she took a swan dive off the building behind you three years later." Alix chocked but the woman carried on. "I know that Ladybug couldn't carry on without her partner and gave up being Ladybug! I know that I discovered exactly what happens when you use _'Cataclysm'_ on a person when I used it to cause Multiple Organ Failure on Hawkmoth, the man behind the Akuma. I know that Juleka never recovered from the deaths and neither did Ivan. I know Nino gave up DJing because it reminded him too much of what he had lost. I know that the whole thing consumed Marinette to the point that _she willingly sacrificed her life so that I could come back!_ SO YES, MISS BOURGEOIS. I KNOW DAMN WELL WHO YOU ARE!" The woman yanked her hand back as if unable to bare touching Chloé any longer. She turned to Alix who had started crying dully. Max and Kim both hovered around her protectively.

  
Chloé had a stunned look while most of the other students had begun crying as well. Alya was still numbly recording. Rose and Juleka clung to each other sobbing while Nathaneal had his arms around both of them, tear streaming down his face. Myléne was shaking in Ivan's embrace. Sabrina had her arms wrapped around herself in a desperate attempt at self-comfort. Nino just stood numbly clutching at the banner. Adrien had pressed a hand against a watery-eyed Marinette's back to unknowingly anchor both himself and the smaller blue eyed girl, reminding them that they were both still here.

  
"I...I...I could have you arrested for that." Chloé whispered. It was obvious she was desperate to gain some footing, some semblance of normality.

  
The woman looked over her shoulder and scoffed. "I'll be dead by 1 am tonight. Don't hold your breath."

  
The others blinked in horror at the dismissive tone of her voice. Alya opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to verbalise her questions.

  
The woman faced Alix once more, her body relaxing and her face softening as she gripped Alix's shoulder gently. "It hasn't happened now and it was never your fault. Ladybug, Nino, Juleka, Ivan... everyone who was hurt by this... They never once blamed you for any of it and I wish every day that I had managed to stop you when you couldn't take it anymore. It hasn't happened and it never will. Promise me that you'll keep doing what you love and that you'll live every day to the fullest." The tone was gentle but firm and Alix nodded. The woman gave a small smile, barely a twitch of her lips. "Good."

  
The quiet moment was interrupted by a flash of red and an echoic voice.

_  
"Chat?"_

  
" _Pute_." The woman closed her eyes and sighed before drawing away from Alix and the rest of the group. She pulled the baton out of her belt, extending it to approximately three feet.

  
"Miss?" Marinette's quiet voice broke the silence. "What's that?"

  
"Name's Harlequin. When Chat died, it was before he could use _'Cataclysm'_. That power absorbs the surrounding bad luck to push it directly into an object. That causes an imbalance resulting in an influx of good luck. It's why Ladybug's _'Lucky Charm'_ works so well because that absorbs all the excess luck, balancing things back out. The reverse produces the same result. _'Lucky Charm'_ produces an influx of bad luck and ' _Cataclysm_ ' absorbs that. The balance is then used to evaluate exactly what damage was done by the Akuma which _'Miraculous Healing'_ then fixes. It's all about balance. Chat died and it caused a mass imbalance between the good and bad luck. It confused everything to the point when Ladybug tried to use 'Miraculous Healing', it only fixed the physical damage that had happened. It brought back his ring to help restore balance but it didn't bring him back. It didn't bring any of you back. It also had an ... interesting side effect." Harlequin watched dully as a ghostly Ladybug appeared before the group.

  
She whipped her head around desperately. _"Chat? Rose? Alya? God, I'll even take Chloé! Please tell me it worked! It had to! Chat! Damn it, Kitty!"_ The ghost brought her hands to her mouth. _"CHAT!"_ She took out her compact and tapped it _. "Still no signal. Chat, please! This isn't time for your games. My miraculous is about to run out and I need you!"_   Ladybug sighed, her shoulders tense and she turned to face her watching crowd. The worry was clear on her face and she was down three spots on her earrings _. "If I wind up de-transforming before I find him, I'll..."_ The Ladybug froze, her eyes zoning in on a single black ring on the ground. _"No...No...No. No. No.No.No.NO.NONONONONONO NO!!!"_ She sprinted towards it, the beep of her earrings gone unheard. She dropped to her knees and shakily reaching out to touch it. A finger skimmed the Unlucky Miraculous and it glowed green for a split second. A terrified sob broke past her lips. Her shoulders started to tremble and she shook her head in denial. _"Please. Please. I can't do this without you. You're my partner Chat. Please. Come on. For me. For your Lady. I'll even let you tell me those god awful puns of yours. I'll go on that date. I'll tell you who I am. I'll do anything."_ Ladybug sobbed harder, tears flowing freely and her breaths coming in deep gasps. Her voice, small and heartbroken as she bent over the ring. _"Please."_

  
The watching crowd stood in stunned silence as the ghostly form of their beloved, strong, almost untouchable hero broke down. They did nothing as Harlequin approached the transparent heroine.

  
Everyone flinched as Harlequin swung down with the baton when Ladybug sat back up violently, face skyward in a final plea, tears streaming down her blotchy cheeks. Her final despairing cry ringing out even as her form dissipated like smoke in the wind when the baton cut through the ghost.

**_  
"CHAT!"_ **

  
Harlequin stood, breathing deeply for a few moments and tucked the baton back into her belt. She turned to face the crowd.

  
Marinette had gone white and tears started to stream down her cheeks, the banner having long fallen to the floor. Adrien wasn't looking much better.

  
"That was the side effect. The final minutes between the last _'Miraculous Healing_ ' and Ladybug's last ever de-transformation. It appears at least once a week before me. Knocking my baton through it disperses it. It's the result of the healing still trying to work its magic but not having enough power to do so. " She glanced over the deeply affected group. "I suggest you all go home. Go hug your families, your friends. Just go spend some time with them. Marinette, I know you should head off now. You're about to receive a phone call about a family client turning up early."

  
Marinette blinked at being addressed. "I thought I had time." It seemed such an insignificant thing to worry about after such a revelation.

  
Harlequin let out a small, sad laugh and smiled, a tiny broken twitch of lips. "That's what you said before. Alya, that still recording?"

  
Alya nodded shakily, looking pale and nauseated from watching her idol fall to pieces. "I got everything."

  
Turning to the phone, Harlequin stood with her hands on her hips. "I want you to post everything along with this message for the current Ladybug and Chat Noir. I'll meet you both at the place where your patrol route ends, on the top level at midnight. I have some information for you and it needs to be done. Don't late or else everything I've done today will be for nothing. I'll see you at midnight."

  
She walked past the group, ignoring the stares and flicked the red yo-yo out when Alya called to her.

  
"Wait! Who exactly are you? And why should we believe you?" A few incredulous looks were shot at the reporter who stubbornly stared at Harlequin's back. She hoped she was wrong.

  
(The voice in the back of her head, the one that drove her in her pursuit of Ladybug, told her she knew exactly who Harlequin was.)

  
Harlequin glanced over her shoulder with a broken smile. "I am what remains of a Ladybug when she no longer has a Chat Noir by her side. I am the Unlucky Bug who lost all her nine lives and her heart in a single day. But most of all, I'm just a woman running around playing superhero who's desperate for her best friend back. As for proof, well, the first time that silly kitty met me, he ran face first into a chimney stack." A small laugh escaped her lips as Harlequin took on a reminiscing tone and a faraway look. "Told me later that he had been 'blinded by the beauty of such an exquisite lady' and 'that the chimney stack had come out of nowhere'."

  
Harlequin, Ladybug, allowed her herself to be yanked into the air and disappeared onto the rooftops, leaving a stunned group of teenagers behind.

  


* * *

 

The gentle passionate sounds of Michael Nyman's _The Heart Asks Pleasure First_ echoed out from the highest level of the Eiffel Tower. The lights glimmered in the darkness and the sight was breathtaking. The only occupant to see such a view, dressed in black and red, sat slumped against the cold metal and stared mindlessly out over the city.

  
Twin thumps alerted Harlequin to the arrival of Chat Noir and Ladybug though she paid them no mind. The three were silent.  The two teens shifting uneasily.

  
As the piano music trailed off into silence, Harlequin heaved a sigh. "That was one of your favourite songs, wasn't it Chat?"

  
Chat jolted at the address and licked his lips nervously with his tail twitch erratically behind him. "Er, _Oui._ It is. How'd you know?"

  
Harlequin closed her eyes and rested her head on the pole behind her. "I learnt a lot after you died. Favourite food, music, colour...your real name. I think that was what hurt the most... When I learned who you really are... it just showed me that I had lost so much more than I had initially thought. Especially since we knew each other on the other side of the masks as well."

  
Both Ladybug and Chat Noir paled and glanced at each other. The information Harlequin had revealed in a single sentence was more than either of them had ever known about each other.

  
While mild excitement swirled in the back of Chat's mind, Ladybug was internally panicking. She didn't want to reveal herself. That distance between herself and Chat protected them both. If Hawkmoth ever managed to Akumatise either of them, she shuddered to think what would happen.

  
(A tiny voice in the corner of Ladybug's mind where Marinette's deepest fears resided wondered if Chat would be disappointed that it was her.)

  
Harlequin took a deep breath, opened her eyes and stood. As she pulled herself to her feet, she suddenly bent over, groaning in pain and clutching at her abdomen. Her body trembled and she had an iron grip on the framework of the steel.

  
"Harlequin!" Ladybug and Chat Noir yelled in sync, both reaching for the woman who waved them off even as she started panting through her teeth.

  
Hands still hovering worriedly, Chat's tail twitched violently. "What was that?!" He seemed to be debating whether or not to latch on the woman anyway.

  
Harlequin managed to breath more deeply and straightened up. She panted for a moment. "No one is supposed to wield two Miraculous for the length of time that I have. Even if I hadn't come back, I'd still be dead within the next three years. Wielding two Miraculous...it was only supposed to be for a short time. Then I found a way to come back so I asked Plagg to remain bonded to me even knowing the consequences. It wouldn't work any other way."

  
Shrugging off the attack in a way that spoke of habit, Harlequin rolled her shoulders and turned to the two teens, both of whom still eyed her warily.

  
"I need you both to de-transform. The two versions of the Miraculous and the Kwami need to merge to lock in the paradox and prevent it from unravelling, thereby stopping the very fabric of the space/time continuum from tearing itself apart." The time traveller stared the duo down. "I need the Miraculous and the Kwami separated. The merging has to happen in front of me so I can ensure nothing goes wrong."

  
"But!" Ladybug objected. She could feel a thousand and one scenarios race through her head.

  
Harlequin held up a hand. "I understand you want to keep each other safe by keeping your identities to yourselves but, believe me, I've been in your place and knowing who the other person is will make everything much easier on both of you."

  
Chat looked conflicted for a moment and steeled his resolve. "Can't we just keep our eyes closed? Or turn our backs? You can still merge and we still keep our identities secret."

  
Ladybug gave a grateful smile. Even though Chat desperately wanted to know who she was, he still thought of her comfort.

  
Harlequin sagged in exasperation, shaking her head, and although neither teen could see her eyes due to the red lenses, she rolled her eyes. " Do you want to wake up and realise just how much you regret not telling each other?" Annoyance coloured her tone. Harlequin gestured to Chat. "It will be too obvious to him who I am and when I de-transform, you'll know who he is if Plagg has anything to do with it. It's happening. Get over it."

  
Ladybug and Chat turned to each other nervously. They both fidgeted in silence. Chat fiddle with his ring and Ladybug rubbed her elbow. Neither wanted to be the first to de-transform nor did they have any idea of how to do so.

  
A minute passed  and Harlequin lost her patience. "Look, I am going to dead within the hour. We need to get on with it because we don't have time for this." Both teens snapped their heads towards her but she barged onwards. She faced Chat and gestured to Ladybug.

  
"Adrien, this is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She has the biggest crush on your civilian self to the point of speechlessness and it's the reason she never took you up on those dates even though she thinks you are cute and that some of your puns are funny. The bug puns are where she draws the line, though. She likes designing, fresh flowers, martial arts and her favourite colour is Jade."

  
Harlequin snapped her head to Ladybug who had stiffened and her mouth was open. "Marinette, this is Adrien Agreste. He has an embarrassingly huge crush on your hero persona and it's part of the reason he was a dense brick wall that failed to notice your crush on him. He does, however, think you are adorable and really incredible when you are passionate about something. He likes fencing, running across rooftops, freshly baked cookies and his favourite colour is Royal Blue."

  
The red and black clothed woman looked between the slack-jawed heroes and put her hands on her hips. "You can both be awkward later though I'd recommend holding off on the dating until you figure out things." The duo glanced at each other and blushed deeply, staring at the floor. "Adrien, I apologise in advance."

  
Chat snapped his head up. "Wh...What?"

  
"Transformation Release." Pink sparkles and green smoke travelled up her body, leaving black combat boots, grey cargo pants and a dark tank top under a simple jacket. The mask disappeared, leaving the face of an older Marinette behind.

  
Without the mask and the costume, the elder Marinette just looked sad, weighted  and oh so very tired. The bright gleam that lights up her eyes so easily as Ladybug and her younger self was completely absent in the elder's. It was as if she had aged seventy years instead of only seven. Two blurs flew out of the ring and earrings.

  
Even as the red blur resolved itself into the Ladybug Kwami to settle on the elder Marinette's shoulder, the black blur merely made a beeline for Chat.

  
"ADRIEN!" The black cat-like Kwami collided with Chat's cheek. A tiny tear rolled down his own cheeks as he nuzzled close. "It's good to see you." The words were muffled and relieved. Plagg spread his paws over Chat's cheek to hug the hero as best he could.

  
Chat's own eyes seemed to well up with tears as he realised just how much he truly meant to the Kwami. "Hi, Plagg." The greeting was thick with emotion.

  
Ladybug watched with watery blue eyes when a tiny voice drew her attention from the reunion. "Hello, Marinette."

  
Tikki almost looked the same as ever as she hovered in front of Ladybug's face, only with a smaller smile and a sad light in her own blue eyes.

  
Ladybug brought her hands up to support the Kwami and gave her own small smile. "Hey, Tikki."

  
"Please forgive Harlequin." Tikki turned to catch the attention of Chat who now had Plagg resting contently against his neck. "She was never the same after her Chat died. She cried for days and the funerals just wiped her out emotionally. She became so angry afterwards and took it out on Akuma. One tried to possess her once but Harlequin just caught it and ripped it in two before it could go anywhere near her. Watching her become obsessed with defeating Hawkmoth was terrifying."

  
The four looked over at Harlequin who was crouched over a small duffle bag that the duo hadn't spotted until now, rifling through it and packing away the iPod that had been playing the music.

  
Plagg piped up. "After she defeated Hawkmoth, it was like everything fuelling her just vanished. There were times we didn't dare to leave her alone and we had to force her to eat some days. It wasn't until Tikki was talking about some ancient Ladybug, hoping to snap her out of it that she got the idea to come back. Took us nearly four years to find a way and over a year to get everything together." Plagg pressed against Chat's pulse, revelling in the steady thump he hadn't heard in seven years.  "It was one of best days ever when she managed to do it."

  
Chat reached up to press a finger to Plagg's head and rub it gently. While the Plagg he knew was lazy, cheese-obsessed and extremely blunt, Adrien knew that he did care. It showed in the little ways like gifting his beloved Camembert as a birthday present and encouraging Adrien to enjoy himself when he could.

  
"All right. Everything's ready. Marinette, Adrien, I need you to de-transform now then give your Miraculous to your Kwami." Harlequin stood with a book in her hand, opened to a page filled with scribbled notes and hand drawn diagrams.

  
"It won't hurt them, will it?" The trepidation was clear in Ladybug's voice and she bit her lip.

  
Harlequin gave a small comforting smile. "No. They're an element of Quantic Divinity. They don't exactly follow the same rules as us mortals. When they merge, their past selves will gain all of their future selves' knowledge but none of the memories. Like reading a diary. They know what happened but there is a separation from the fact. Both Tikki and Plagg have done this several times before with past Ladybugs and Chat Noirs. It was just the travelling so far back in time part that gave us the most trouble."

  
Ladybug nodded in acknowledgement and looked at Chat. The partners nodded in sync.

  
"Transformation Release."

  
The light travelled up over the two, vanishing Ladybug and Chat Noir and leaving behind Marinette and Adrien. Marinette gave a shy smile which Adrien returned.

  
Their version of Plagg and Tikki appeared before them.

  
Plagg turned around and spotted his future counterpart. "I hate doing this. It itches for days afterwards and cheese never smells right."

  
The other Plagg groaned. "I know right! The things we put up with for our kittens."

  
Both Tikkis groaned and scolded them. "PLAGG!"

  
Harlequin let out a snort to which the future Kwami stared at her for. She raised an eyebrow. "What?" She knew that she had been colder since the day Adrien/Chat had died but still had a sense of humour. Or was it that the end that she had been so seeking was finally close? Harlequin could feel the walls she had thrown up around the remains of her heart begin to shatter.

  
"Nothing." The future Tikki fluttered off of Marinette's hands and hugged Harlequin's cheek. The woman brought a hand up to return the embrace the best she could. "I'm so proud of you and I'll always remember you as one of my most noble Ladybugs." The Kwami sniffed a few times and pulled back. "I love you." Tikki's eyes watered.

  
"I love you too." Harlequin was openly crying and smiling fragilely at the Kwami's raw emotion in her voice. "It was the best years of my life. I know you'll make them even better for me this time around." Harlequin's voice broke even as she reached up and removed the earrings she had consistently worn since she was just a thirteen-year-old amateur fashion designer, presenting them to one of her closest friends and her greatest companion.  

  
Tikki burst into tears as she took the offering.

  
Plagg floated into view and hugged Harlequin's nose causing a bark of laughter from the soon-to-be former Miraculous wielder. "Tikki picked a good one with you. Probably one of my favourite bugs." Plagg nuzzled Harlequin briefly and pulled back, his green eyes suspiciously shiny. "For what it's worth, I'm glad to have called you one of mine."

  
Wiping away the damp on her cheeks with the cuff of her jacket, Harlequin swallowed thickly. "Thank you Plagg." She slipped off the ring and passed it to the tiny Kwami who clutched it to his chest.

  
" I'll be sure to eat a piece of cheese dedicated to you every day." His lower lip quivered.

  
Harlequin smiled. "I love you too Plagg. Give 'em hell for me."

  
The dam broke again as the two Kwami swarmed Harlequin for one final embrace. Plagg was the first to pull away, whiskers drooping and tail hanging limply while Tikki held on for a few more precious moments before pulling away also.

  
They spun to face their past counterparts who clutched at their own Miraculous.

  
A slow murmured chant.

  
Red and Red collided in a flash of light.

  
Black and Black merged with a burst of smoke.

  
When the light and smoke died down, only one Tikki and one Plagg remained. The Ladybug Kwami nodded to Harlequin.

  
"It worked."

  
Returning the Miraculous to their respective wielders, the two Kwami settled on the shoulders' of Marinette and Adrien. Both teenagers had an awestruck look and had subconsciously moved closer together.

  
The elder snapped her book shut and shoved it into the duffle bag at her feet. Swinging the bag up into her arms, Harlequin passed it over to Marinette. "That book contains a lot of information about Kwami so don't lose it. The rest of the bag has other note books about things I discovered and my iPod. I don't know if that'll fade when I do because it's the only thing I brought back with me from the future." Harlequin sighed tiredly and slid down the metal barrier. "I think that's everything."

  
Marinette shifted uncomfortably and Adrien pressed a hand against her shoulder. The warmth of his hand gave her the courage to speak. "Would you like us to stay with you?"

  
Tired blue eyes ran over the duo and she shrugged. "It's up to you. It won't be long. Besides, I don't mind dying. This was all worth it." Harlequin glanced at Adrien before staring into Marinette's watery eyes. "He's worth." She closed her eyes contently and rested her head against the cold steel.

  
Marinette turned her head to Adrien and pressed her lips together. She reached up and took his hand in hers determinedly. Tugging him with her, Marinette took her own seat on the ground in front of Harlequin. Adrien dropped into a seat next to her and put his arm around her as Marinette leaned into the model's side. Even seven years older and having been through so much more than Marinette could ever imagine, the younger knew that Harlequin would appreciate the company.

  
A muted white glow appeared around Harlequin's form and all five beings knew it was time.

  
Harlequin opened her eyes and her lips twitched upwards as she held up a hand to look at the soft light.

  
"Thank you!" Adrien blushed as Harlequin snapped her gaze to him. "I never mentioned it but, thank you." The raw emotion in Adrien's voice conveyed a thousand more words that would remain unsaid and he swallowed back tears.

  
Marinette and Tikki had already started quietly weeping, the tears making tracks down each cheek of their cheeks.

  
Harlequin nodded then frowned. It was subtle then quick as the glow grew, Harlequin seemed to de-age until a fifteen-year-old Marinette with a white glow surrounding her sat in front of the duo. "What the hell?" She looked down at her legs with furrowed eyes which now had her old favourite pink capris on.

  
Tikki explained with a wet smile from her spot on Marinette's shoulder. "More often than not, the Universe can seem a cruel place. But sometimes, it can be kind."

  
"Tikki, what are you..." The glowing white Marinette was interrupted by a green glow next to her. It grew and took form, darkening until a glowing teenage boy dressed in black was crouched next to her. The former Harlequin's eyes watered and a broken sob trembled past her lips even as she began to smile widely. The tear began to roll down her cheeks though she paid them no mind as her blue eyes locked on to bright green. She reached out with a shaking hand to caress his face, fingers brushing skin so gently as if the merest touch would break him.

_  
"Hello, My Lady."_

  
A maskless transparent Chat Noir, illuminated in green, smiled cheekily. A clawed glove grasped the hand and his cheek nuzzled into it. His ears twitched happily and his tail was curled around him lazily.

  
The now fading Marinette let out a tearful laugh tinged with disbelief.  "Hello, Kitty." Still laughing, she pulled her old partner, her best friend, her kitty towards her and pressed her forehead to his, both closing their eyes in contentment.

  
When the two forehead's touch, the soft light surrounding the two burst brightly causing Adrien to pull Marinette into his chest and bury his face, still wet with the few tears that had escaped, into her hair. Adrien was the first to look up, arms still wrapped around the smaller girl.

  
Marinette pulled slightly out of Adrien's embrace to turn her head so she could see properly.

  
Nothing remained of the glowing, maskless Chat Noir and the former Harlequin.

  
Just two crying teenagers curled around each other on the top of the Eiffel Tower with a brand new future waiting for them.

**Author's Note:**

> Ooops?


End file.
